So, did the Air Force Cycling Classic today, got the gold medal, which is 6 laps(or more if you want) in under 3.5 hours. did my 6 in 3hours and 8 minutes. could have been under 3 but the last 1-2 laps I started to get tired. It didn't help the water station I stopped at had no water so I had to go to the next one which was a ways away

All in all I'm pretty proud of myself. lessons learned for next time, I need more of those energy packets or w/e, like the cliff shots(which is why i got tired o the final few laps), and I should carry an extra bottle on my back when it's that hot.

Also, couldn't believe how many people I was whizzing past on their carbon fiber, 5K$ bikes...I guess people have money to spend but don't care to use them their full potential.

EDIT: Next goal is going to be a Century in July, then I'm going to do the livestrong Century in Phillidelphia August 19th.

What does everyone use for energy during long rides? I've heard some people make their own snacks, some use GU blocks, cliff blocks, the gel packs? All I used were some gatorade chews and a GU block which was not enough(learned the hardway). Also, what kind of electrolyte mix do you all use? regular gatorade or some mix you get from REI or your local shop? thanks.

To be honest, I don't know what the full lifespan is for them. I usually get new cables for everything at the beginning of every season.

Slobalt, that corner was real tight when you would take it with speed. The course varied from wide roads to small throughout the whole course so guys were taking them to hot and getting pinched constantly. This was in the pro 1/2, one of our guys got stuck in the crash. He said some guy within the top 15 took the corner to hot, slammed into the fence, then flew back into the field. Oh, the woes of bike racing.

By the way the courses this weekend were some of the best crits I have ever done! The crowds were insane, especially on the last day. Look up videos from "Cry Baby Hill".

One thing I noticed about the video, and from what one of our guys said is that a bunch of guys slammed on their brakes and caused more of a bunch crash when they didn't need to. They were slamming on their brakes out of getting scared. Lots of guys in that video could have saved themselves from crashing.

__________________Christ†KrewPhilippians 4:13

“Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.”-Gail Devers

I usually change my chain, bar tape, cables, and housing every 4 months or so (~2000 miles). More often if I have to ride in the rain a lot. You can extend the life span by spraying the grit out of your housing with a compressor, wiping down the cables and cleaning/lubing your chain regularly.
But of course I run Di2 so no shift cable maintenance for me

deathmoney I use this stuff called "hammer gel", it comes in either big bottles or packets, you can eat it like a gel and also mix it with water. I like the caffeinated flavors. The GU products are decent too, especially the drink mix and shot bloks. If I wasn't sponsored by a shop I would buy them from an REI store or on amazon.
For rides over 3 hours I make the Allen Lim rice cakes

How does one get on a race team? is one of those things that you make new friends, meet new people, and get on a team or do you go to tryouts?obviously you have to be in peak shape and what not so I don't plan on getting on a team anytime soon. Also are sponsorships hard to get(I don't plan on getting sponsored anytime soon but im curious) and do they give you a nice discount of is it like paintball...it's based off your skill so PRO/CAT1 get good discounts vs D4/CAT4 get mediocre discounts?

pbkidd, congrats on your 2nd place and top 20 finish. After watching the CAT1 guys go around in Arlington/Chrystal City at the AF Classic this weekend...you guys are fast as ****. I'll get there one of these days.

EDIT: Allen Lim Rice Cakes-watched a youtube video with him making them...I never would have guessed that parmasean cheese, eggs, rice, and some bacon would make such a good snack? I'm not a nutrition expert but what makes these cakes so great for long distance riding?

They are sweet and savory with the brown sugar mixed in... lots of simple carbs, some protein, nothing crazy just a balanced energy source that is easy to digest.
For cat 2 or above on my team we get frames for free, gear at cost, + license and entry fees paid, and some loner gear like wheels. I have responsibilities to my sponsor also, my side of the contract is to do a certain number of races and to actively promote the sponsor brands. There is also a code of personal conduct, and a requirement to volunteer (I help as a mentor for a junior/women's development program).
Being new at the sport don't join a team for discounts. Figure out who you want to ride with, some teams are geared better to newer riders with practice races and the like. There is no point riding for a team like mine as a cat4 basically because you would be racing alone. But teams do provide a chance to learn a lot and ride regularly with people who are fast and can show you the ropes.

I wouldn't join for the discounts, I was just curious what a discount would even entail. I would love to join a team at the end of this summer, I just have no clue where I would even start. I plan to meet up with a local ride hosted every sunday morning by a local shop so maybe I can meet some folks there. I need to ride a lot more. I only ride 30miles a day which is roundtrip to and from work. Should I be doing 50 at least on week days or what?

Yea I would start doing group rides. Keep doing them until you can keep up with the fastest ones in town, meet some people while you're at it.
Think about intensity more than mileage. I rarely ride more than 50 miles ever, and I can keep up with pro/1/2 fields. At the entry level the races are short, so you want to do intervals, threshold rides and the occasional long endurance ride.
Check out Joe Friel's training bible, it breaks it down and you can set up a plan off of that. I know you won't have power but a simple HR monitor can do the job.

OK, I'll download all of those once I get home. The issue around here in DC, is there are plenty of trails, but ton's of people on them, and if you want to go off a trail, it's usually stop go stop go traffic. It's hard to be able to maintain a consistent speed for long distances. I guess I'll have to hit the bikes in the gym up more often. How long are those rice cakes good for btw? can you freee them and thaw out/use as needed? Might make a decent sized batch for the next few weeks.

OK, I'll download all of those once I get home. The issue around here in DC, is there are plenty of trails, but ton's of people on them, and if you want to go off a trail, it's usually stop go stop go traffic. It's hard to be able to maintain a consistent speed for long distances. I guess I'll have to hit the bikes in the gym up more often. How long are those rice cakes good for btw? can you freee them and thaw out/use as needed? Might make a decent sized batch for the next few weeks.

3-5 days.

__________________Christ†KrewPhilippians 4:13

“Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.”-Gail Devers

Probably going to make some this weekend. Going to try 30-40 miles saturday and sunday but do my best to maintain a high speed and incorporate a lot of hills. Plus I want to see how Dr Lim's food recipes effect my performance at this stage.